Namewise

Jacob vs William

Jacob and Williamcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #13 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #41 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Jacob and William over time

Jacob and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 266 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jacob in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jacob in 2. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2010, Jacob moved ahead of William in Northern Ireland · Boys — #51 and #40 the year before became #24 and #36.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and William changed places 13 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #59 and #3.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and William averaged 9.2 places apart, ending at #41 and #25.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #41 and #25.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 13 of those years, William in 66.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, William #1 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1980: William moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #306 and #372; by 1980 that had become #340 and #233.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, William #3.

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1977–2023

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, William in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, William #3 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, William #14.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1982–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, William #1 in 2009.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, William #11.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, William in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, William #14 in 1980.

    The order changed in 2014: Jacob moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #53 and #43; by 2014 that had become #49 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, William #73.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 13 of those years, William in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, William #7 in 2006.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #41, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 15 of those years, William in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, William #26 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2010: Jacob moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #51 and #40; by 2010 that had become #24 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, William #64.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Jacob

Pairs where Jacob shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jacob, William
FieldJacobWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Jacob and William both have 2 syllables.
  • Jacob's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Jacob

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys